Sleepwalkers
by Isis Lied
Summary: It was a strange habit, really. Between his love of sweets and videogames, Amaimon rarely slept. Whenever he did, however, usually resulted in him sleepwalking to strange places. Like to a certain blonde's garden. Or her bedroom. He may have also brought Behemoth once… Amaimon/Shiemi
1. Chapter 1- Prologue

Sleepwalkers

Summary: It was a strange habit, really. Between his love of sweets and videogames, Amaimon rarely slept. Whenever he did, however, usually resulted in him sleepwalking to strange places. Like to a certain blonde's garden. Or her bedroom. He may have also brought Behemoth once… Amaimon/Shiemi

A/N: Whoo, my first ANE fic and it's a crack pairing! Ah, anyway, if you get the chance, please review and tell me what you think! Thanks! This is more of a prologue; if you guys like it I'll continue it!

* * *

Chapter 1- One Not So Graceful Landing

The green-haired youth lounged in the love seat, feet dangling against the side. He toyed with the tattered edges of his coat, eyes cast to the large window in the office. The demon could barely make out the figure of a certain blue-haired teen.

"Brother, can I go play with Rin now?"

Mephisto sighed, pushing the stack of papers away from him. The flamboyant man rose from his chair, locking eyes with his younger brother.

"Amaimon, this is the fourth time you've asked that in the past hour! The answer will always be no! You know what, I'm going out for a bit. Stay here."

The Earth King waved his hand dismissively at his older brother, chewing at a red lollipop. Ice blue eyes gazed lazily around the room, watching as the violet-haired demon picked up his ice cream adorned umbrella.

"I understand. No leaving this room. But, when you come back, you have to play videogames with me." He whined, reaching into his pocket for another lollipop but coming up empty. He had to steal some from Mephisto's drawer of sweets later.

When he turned around from his seat he realized the principal was gone, office door locked and windows shut tight, covered by heavy drapery. Amaimon shrugged, chewing at the end of his nail. He weighed the risk of being caught by his brother versus boredom and came to the surprising conclusion that it would require more effort to disobey than just sit in the office.

Continuing to dangle his legs over the side of the fluorescent pink couch, the Earth King picked up one of the numerous manga littering the floor. He read a few pages before he grew bored, tossing it back to the ground. Now that the curtains were drawn, he felt the spindles of sleep slowly manifest in his eyes. He would take a short nap and when he woke up Mephisto would be back, hopefully with a handful of candy.

* * *

The blonde exwire wiped sweat from her brow, smiling down at the lilies she had just planted.

"Grow strong, little ones…" She whispered, accidentally wiping dirt onto her kimono.

She frowned, rising to her feet. A quick bath and she would come back to water her chrysanthemums. Humming, the teen skipped out of the garden.

* * *

"Ah, nothing like a nice bath before dinner…" She sighed, flopping onto her floral printed bed. Emerald eyes gazed around the room contentedly, gaze fixing from the mirror, to the floor, and finally, to the ceiling. Which just so happened to have a sleeping demon attached to a ceiling fan.

Shiemi let out a squeak of surprise, falling off of her bed. The man slowly blinked awake, cerulean eyes furrowed in confusion. The girl quickly scurried under her bed, holding her summoning paper close to her chest.

Amaimon scanned his surroundings, rubbing the back of his head. He could hear the song-like voices of the plants, each flower singing a cacophony of blessings to the girl who took care of them. He listened, eyes widening slightly as a sunflower whispered out the name Shiemi. Why did the name seem so familiar?

Rolling onto his stomach (not being a hundred-percent awake caused his depth perception to be a bit… slow, making his what was supposed to be graceful jump a nose dive, face colliding with the wooden floor) he looked up to see a frightened blonde shivering under the bed.

"Ah, my bride. Hello…" He gave a fanged grin, laughing as the woman backed up as far as she could under the bed, holding out a small slip of paper.

"S-stay back, Earth King, I'll summon something horrible if I have to!"

"Eh? Brother said not to mess with anyone in the cram school but if you want to play…"

The blonde furiously shook her head, flustered. "N-no, talking's just fine."

The demon immediately stood up, the mischievous glint in his eyes long gone.

"W-wait, Amaimon!" The girl called out, hesitantly crawling out of her hiding spot.

"Hmm?" He turned around, a bored expression on his face. Maybe this girl had candy? The thought made the impending conversation just a _little _less annoying.

"W-why were you sleeping on my ceiling?"

The demon shrugged, chewing at his nail. "I dunno… I was in Brother's office and then I woke up here. I think the flowers called out to me."

"The flowers?"

He nodded, pointing at the plotted tulip in the room. "They said you're a good caretaker. They are really happy."

The girl blushed, fidgeting with the ends of her hair. "You can hear them?" She asked, voice laced with curiosity.

He nodded again, leaning against the wall. "They _are_ under my dominion. Most just complain about the sunlight or not getting enough water; it's rare to hear them praising someone."

Before she could ask another question, a women's voice range out, "Shiemi, are you out of the shower? It's time for dinner!"

"I'll be down in a second, mom!" She called back, eyeing the demon with worry.

"You have to leave now… please." She held in her breath, pushing the man forcibly towards the window. The green-haired demon gave an amused grin, surprised by her sudden outburst.

Opening the window, he looked back one last time at the flustered blonde. He jumped out, landing gracefully (this time) to the ground. He stopped by a field of chrysanthemum, speaking out a few words in demon language. And then, he was gone.

The girl quickly shut the window right before her mother walked in.

"Shiemi, I called you ages ago, what are you doing? And were you talking to someone? I thought I heard voices…"

She forced out a small grin, shaking her head. "I-I was just talking to my flower, he seemed lonely."

"I worry for you sometimes. You spend too much time in that garden; I swear you'll turn into a plant someday."

"N-no, I don't chat with all my flowers. Just the tulip."

"Why?"

"Uh, because… Amaimon's my favorite!" She immediately covered her mouth, mentally berating herself for saying the name of the Earth King out loud, in front of her mother of all people!

"Right… just tell 'Amaimon' to be a bit quieter. Anyway, dinner's getting cold. Let's go."

Shiemi nodded eagerly, following behind the older woman.

* * *

The green-haired man sat on the roof of the abandoned building, staring into the moon. He could barely make out the exwire's house in the distance. He started chewing on his fingernail again, mind processing the day's events. He had sleepwalked before, but never that far. His teeth made a sharp crunching sound, wind billowing around the demon as he walked towards the edge of the building.

"You were right, Brother. Assiah is fun!" He yelled, jumping off the building. He fell head first down the façade of the building, eyes alight with glee. Before he hit the ground he righted himself, landing on his feet. It was about time to make his way back to the office. Amaimon shoved his hands in his pockets, slowly walking towards the school. His fingers curled around the stem of a chrysanthemum, a small souvenir from his adventure. He could feel the life draining away from the flower, drying until it turned an ugly brown. Eventually, it turned to ash in his clawed grip. Nothing lasted long in Assiah… but, there were _no_ flowers in Gehenna.

And somehow, that woman reminded him of a frail, beautiful flower.


	2. Chapter 2- In Which Behemoth Escapes

Chapter 2- In Which Behemoth Escapes

A/N: Hello! I was suddenly struck with inspiration so I decided to update again! Anyway, if you get the chance, drop a review and tell me what you think! Thanks a bunch :3 I promise the chapters will get longer once I figure out where I want this story to go, lol.

-Isis

* * *

The Earth King chewed the bubblegum candy sourly, skulking about the principal's office. In his unexplainable sleepwalk he had somehow left the door wide open, letting Behemoth escape. A week had come and gone and the demon couldn't find his pet anywhere. Plopping down onto the couch, he sulked irritably. If Behemoth got into any trouble Mephisto would take him back for sure! But, a hobgoblin on the loose was _only_ bound to cause trouble…

* * *

The blonde exwire tended to her garden, humming lightly as she watered her plants. Dropping the hand shovel, Shiemi stood back to view her work. A whole field of sunflowers had been planted (although still seedlings) amongst the poppies and irises. Emerald eyes widened in surprise as a large shadow fell on her plants. A green blur jumped on the newly planted flowers, chewing on the stems.

"W-what? A hobgoblin? She cried, torn between saving her precious flowers and possibly being injured.

"Mr. Hobgoblin, could you please snack on something else? She stuttered out as the demon continued to munch on her garden like a salad bar.

The beast reared its head, a string of sunflowers in its maw. It snorted slightly before returning to its meal.

"P-please… Oh, I-I know, here," She scattered a couple of sunflower seeds on the grass, urging the demon to step forward. It turned back, stalking over to the offering curiously. The hobgoblin sniffed the meal once before sticking out its long tongue, swallowing a handful. It gave what could only be called a purr of happiness, devouring the snack.

"I-I'm glad to see you like it…" She laughed at the hobgoblin as it lounged lazily in the stifling heat, eyes closed in peace.

* * *

Three days later and the demon had caused as much property damage as a tornado would. Random books were scattered across the floor of her room, pages eaten and torn. Half of the potted plants in her room were eaten (minus her tulip) and her mom thought she had suddenly developed a habit of snoring like a ten ton elephant.

The blonde exwire sat tiredly at her desk, face buried in homework. Between exorcist school, homeschool, tending to her garden, and taking care of the hobgoblin (she was so glad her mom couldn't see demons), Shiemi barely had time to breath. Her eyes began to close as the door to her room slowly opened. She was sure it was her mother, probably complaining about the snoring (seeing as the demon was currently taking up residence in her home and sleeping at the foot of her bed).

* * *

He hadn't actually expected to find Behemoth in the exwire's house. He honestly just wanted to cause a bit more mischief and possibly steal a couple more flowers (the screams as he tug on the roots were surprisingly pleasant, in a morbid kind of way).

The Earth King mulled about the room, inspecting every crack and crevice. He looked at her growing wall of photos, half-eaten potted plants, armoire, and random trinkets that littered the room. Humans were so different… most (Mephisto being a huge exception) demons rarely took souvenirs from Assiah. Anything that couldn't be eaten or used was considered frivolous and other demons, regardless of rank, would laugh if you brought back 'useless junk.'

Amaimon shuffled towards the sleeping hobgoblin, pulling out the chain. Connecting the leash to the headpiece, the green-haired demon pulled at the sleeping beast. It blinked awake, giving a slight growl and digging its claws into the bed sheets.

"Come on, Behemoth." He urged, using some of his strength to rip the demon away from the sheets. Three crescent shaped rips appeared on the fabric, leaving shreds to hang off the side of the bed. He threw the beast out the (luckily) opened window, commanding it to stay in demon language.

Amaimon paused from jumping out of the window, looking back at the shredded sheets. A strange feeling bloomed in his heart; it was like when he was stuck in Gehenna and his Father forbade him from seeing Mephisto leave for Assiah but did anyway. A mixture of grief, sorrow, and a sliver of guilt. Blue eyes trained to the blanket wrapped up in the closet. He pulled out the soft fabric, draping it over the girl's small frame. Shiemi murmured something in her sleep as his long claws glided over her soft skin, exposing her neck to the demon. It would be so easy to rip through her skin and bone, to take away her life in an instance. But, somehow, the thought of her cold, lifeless body on the ground made him feel sick. To never see her emerald eyes (the one's he had lied about wanting to take for his cousin—he wanted them for himself) open again…

Shaking his head, he thought back to the task at hand. Well, he might as well explain himself if he was going to go that far. Grabbing a pencil from the cup on her desk and a sheet of paper from her binder, he wrote. Once he was satisfied with the letter he left it on the desk. He fixed the dead flower in her hair (partly because he felt the stirrings of guilt for stealing it in the first place but, also because he thought it was a kind gesture in Gehenna and surely some things had to be the same in Assiah), running his fingers through her golden hair. It reminded him of silk and he had the strange urge to just stay and run his fingers through it. But, the hobgoblin was whining just outside the window and Mephisto wanted to meet with him.

The demon jumped through the window, landing silently on his feet. He bent near a rose bush, unable to leave without taking a single flower. Tugging on the leash, Amaimon soared through the sky, pulling the (what appeared to be) crying beast away.

* * *

She stretched out her arms as she awoke, yawning loudly. She knitted her brows in confusion, wondering if her mother had placed the blanket around her in her sleep. Her elbow touched paper and she noticed the note taped to her desk. Shiemi read the note out loud, eyes widening,

"Miss Exorcist,

I wanted to thank you for taking care of Behemoth. He made quite a mess in your room and for that I apologize. Your bed sheets are torn and I noticed half of the plants were eaten. It must have been difficult taking care of him. Well, I've got to go, but I wanted to say that I really liked your garden. I've never seen happier flowers.

Until next time,

Amaimon

P.S I left your window open; you might want to close it in case of robbers. Brother said lots of humans resort to 'petty thievery' when they are too lazy to work… be careful."

She placed the letter into her bedside table, smiling. So, it was Amaimon's familiar. It did seem oddly tame for a hobgoblin and had a strange affinity for plants.

She pulled the flower from her hair, frowning. For someone who had (apparently—she had heard all of what Amaimon had done when she was brainwashed) threatened to take her eyeballs out, he was surprisingly gentle. Flowers in her hair (albeit it dead, dried ones—but it probably meant something to demons), leaving notes at her desk, escaping through her window, it sounded like some twisted version of Romeo and Juliet (except Romeo was a demon from Hell and Juliet was an exorcist-in-training).

For some reason, she hoped it wasn't the last time she saw the peculiar demon.

* * *

"Brother, are you in?" Amaimon questioned, shutting the office door behind him.

"Ah, Amaimon, there you are! I wanted to give you these!" The violet-haired demon deposited a stack of clothing into the confused man's hands.

"What are these for?"

"Why, you're going to attend exorcist school! I need an extra set of eyes to watch over Rin Okumura. But, you are not allowed to 'play' with any of the students. Understand?"

The demon nodded dully, staring down at the school uniform.

"Good! You start class tomorrow. I've already told Yukio Okumura about your transferring. Perhaps you'll learn something; I know you could use some help with taming. Anyway, you'll be living in the same building as the twins so I suggest you go over there and tell Rin the news."

Amaimon's expression didn't change as he was roughly pushed out of the office, door slamming shut behind him. He hummed lightly as he walked through the campus towards the twins' building.

It seemed he _would_ be seeing quite a bit of Shiemi Moriyama in the near future.

(And he smiled at the thought…)


	3. Chapter 3- Cram School Woes

Chapter 3- Cram School Woes

A/N: Yay, I finally updated! I'm sorry guys that I don't have a steady update schedule but I promise to update as fast as I can. School's almost out for me so once summer hits you can expect quicker updates. Now, without further ado, here's chapter 3. Remember, reviews are lovely and greatly appreciated! This is also set after the class learns Rin's a demon; I just wanted to make it apparent.

-Isis

* * *

Well, it wasn't _exactly _the reaction Amaimon had been predicting.

Stepping into the classroom he was met with absolute silence. No one moved. There weren't any snide comments about his 'broccoli' hair or sweet tooth. Even Shiemi avoided his gaze, jade eyes focused on her lap. It seemed as if time stopped, allowing the green-haired boy to stroll up to the front of the class.

"Hello. I'm Amaimon, the Earth King. You guys already knew that but Brother told me it was necessary to introduce myself. Nice to meet you—"

"Hell no! Yukio, what the heck is going on! You can't just let a demon into exorcist school!" Rin shot up from his seat, breaking the uncomfortable silence with, well, uncomfortable yelling. Amaimon stood unmoving, taking the brunt of the verbal attack. He wanted to grip his younger brother's neck and throw him against the wall but Brother told him he couldn't play with any of the exorcists… what a pity.

"Onii-san, that's a bit hypocritical. Pheles-san gave me direct instructions to allow Amaimon into our class. He hopes it will change his view of Assiah and it would be better to have him on our side instead of against us. Besides… he's already living in the same building as us." The brown-haired teacher noted, placing his briefcase on his desk.

"What? There's no way in Hell I'm living with—"

"Onii-san…" Yukio warned, a stern look on his face. As far as the teacher could tell, having Amaimon join the class could only be a benefit.

"…Fine. But, I'm not happy with it. Listen, I'm only letting this happen cause I really don't want to have to fight him again!" He declared.

The class reluctantly rumbled in agreement. After the 'camp' incident, none really wanted to go against the infamous Earth King again. Begrudgingly, Rin sat back down, fuming all the while. Shiemi patted his back worriedly, emerald eyes glued to the blue-haired boy.

The demon clenched his fists, a foreign emotion surging in his heart. Was this… jealousy? Whatever it was he felt pain. And it hurt, a lot.

The green-haired man pulled out the seat next to Shiemi, glaring at the son of Satan. Really, he could be such a child sometimes.

Rin eyed him suspiciously, looking first at the man and then at Shiemi as she gave the Earth King a big smile.

"Amaimon! It's great to see you'll be in class too! I hope you get along well with everyone. Ah, is there any particular reason you decided to become an exorcist? You don't have to answer if you don't want to."

He gave the smallest of smiles, cerulean eyes bright with mischief. Mephisto did say he couldn't reveal his true reason for going to cram school…

"To watch over my bride, of course." He said it so nonchalantly, pulling his arm over her shoulder. The girl became as red as a tomato, looking back towards the smirking demon and then at Rin. Ah, she was so much fun to tease…

"Take your hands off of her!" Rin roared, moving to take Kurikara from its sheath.

"No. I don't want to." He deadpanned, stroking her hair gently. It really was soft… and it smelled sweet. Like candy. He suddenly wanted to crush her to his chest and breathe in her calming scent. But, he was Amaimon, the Earth King and wouldn't show such strong (and, by demon standards, disgusting) emotions—ah, just once wouldn't hurt, right?

The demon pulled the blushing girl into his lap, burrowing his face in the crook of her neck. The whole class was silent yet again as he heard the tell-tale footsteps of a certain blue-haired demon.

"L-let go of her, damnit! Stop fooling around!" He had unsheathed his sword, creating yet another spectacle of his 'flames.' And Mephisto said Amaimon would break the rules…

"For Christ's sake Rin, sheath your sword. What if one of the higher ups who didn't like you walked in? They don't need a reason to kill ya on the spot so don't give them one!" Shura said, closing the classroom door behind her. Geeze, she leaves for a second and the Earth King has Shiemi in his lap and Rin is practically on fire in the middle of the classroom.

"As for you, Earth King, show some freaking restraint! The whole class already hates you. Hell, _I _hate you. Don't give them another reason to kill you in your sleep tonight. I've already talked to that clown so I know his real intentions for letting you into the school. If you so much as extend your claws at someone I'll kill you and your familiar. Understand?"

Reluctantly, Amaimon let go of the blonde exwire, depositing her back into her chair. He nodded absentmindedly, chewing on a lollipop. "Alright. No killing. I've got it."

"You better. Anyway, Yukio's gonna take over for today cause I need a freaking beer…" Shura commented, walking away, red hair swaying behind her back.

* * *

After a long lesson about the history of coal tar (Amaimon had gotten so bored he actually doodled them in the margins of his paper) the class bell rang, signaling the end of the school day. Shoving his textbooks and other school supplies in his bag he found it surprising that despite everyone else already leaving, Shiemi remained at his side.

"Ah, Amaimon, I didn't think you'd have such a cute taste in folders!" She commented, smiling.

"Oh, these? Brother got them for me. Here." He offered her an empty folder with kittens on it.

"I-I couldn't possibly take one! Don't you need them?"

He shook his head, biting down on his final lollipop. "Nah. I'm only taking exorcist classes, after all. I only need one folder but Brother gave me two. So take it. I don't want it anyway."

The green-eyed girl beamed at him, taking the folder happily. She was so cute when she smiled, he thought before mentally berating himself. Demons did not find humans 'cute!'

"Thanks so much, Amaimon! You're a lot nicer when you're not beating people up, you know!"

He paused, staring at the girl quizzically. Nice? For most demons, that would be a horrible insult. But, she was all too human and probably meant it as a compliment. Or, at least he hoped so.

"In Gehenna a statement like that would be an insult."

"Ah, no, I definitely meant it as a good thing!" she apologized profusely, bowing at least three times at the Earth King. For him, it was normal. At a time he was worshipped as a god of harvest, bringing forth flowers and crops during dry seasons. Many left offerings and bowed at his statues. But, for some reason, he didn't think of the girl as inferior. She was just _Shiemi _and that was all that mattered.

"But, thank you… I'm glad you aren't afraid of me." He replied honestly, biting on his nail. The girl stood stunned, as if lights had been shined in her eyes. He seemed so… _fragile _for a demon king. Perhaps under the rough, apathetic exterior there laid the heart of an honest man.

And then, he was gone. Leaving the girl with a folder and a single wrapped lollipop, cherry flavored.

She quickly gathered her belongings, placing the folder in her bag and the lollipop in her mouth. It tasted sweet.

* * *

The green-haired demon sat idly on his bed, legs dangling over the side. He had picked a modest room, dropping what little possessions he had by the door. It was already midnight and he could feel himself growing tired. It had been quite some time since he last took a nap so he buried his head in the pillow, murmuring out a single command to Behemoth in demon language before falling asleep.

* * *

Ice blue eyes slowly blinked awake, figures blurry and disjointed. Blinking a few more times he realized he was not alone in this bed. And that it _wasn't_ his bed.

He heard snoring and looked at the figure beside him. The Son of Satan had his head buried in the pillow, turned towards the other demon.

Well… this was new. He had never ended up in someone else's bed before. At this point he wouldn't have been surprised to find himself sleepwaking into a refrigerator. The navy-haired boy mumbled in his sleep, pulling the Earth King towards him. His tail had managed to snake around Amaimon's torso, holding him in place.

"Shiemi…" The boy murmured, burrowing his face in the demon's chest. Amaimon frowned. Demons didn't have the luxury of dreams; it was very human. He almost envied his half-brother. What would it be like to dream of a world where he was just a regular human like Shiemi? He shook his head at the thought. It was absurd. Absolutely ridiculous—demons didn't, couldn't love. And he would be no different.

Feeling a bit mischievous, Amaimon pinched his younger half-brother's nose, startling him awake.

"W-what the Hell, Amaimon? Get out of my bed!" He threw his pillow at the demon, landing harmlessly off of his face and onto the ground.

"Ok." He sprung from the bed-sheets, rolling onto the wooden floor. At this point Yukio had retrieved his glasses, glaring at the two demons.

"What's going on here?"

The green-haired man shrugged. "I dunno… sometimes when I sleep I end up sleepwalking. I woke up in younger brother's bed."

And with that he calmly walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. The twins eyed each other worriedly.

"Onii-san, we must get a lock for that door."

"Agreed."

* * *

The Earth King got to cram school early the next day. Opening a folder with lollipops printed down the side (his favorite folder) he pulled out paper and a pencil. School sure was tiring. The lines under his eyes had increased and he could always feel himself drifting off in class. On the bright side, he was allowed to bring Behemoth into the classroom as long as he was tied up. He felt a lot better now that the hobgoblin was in his sights instead of sitting in his room all day. And, it seemed as if the hobgoblin quite enjoyed this new arrangement.

"Behemoth? It's great to see you again!" Shiemi's voice chimed out, rushing over to the familiar. It purred happily at her appearance, licking her face. She laughed, scratching the demon behind the horns. Its tail wagged happily, a lopsided grin on its face.

Suddenly, the bell rang as the rest of the cram students filed in, along with Yukio.

"I have to go to my seat now, Behemoth. But, don't worry; I brought an old book I thought you might want to eat!"

The familiar seemed a bit upset as the exwire returned to her seat but the promise of food was much more enticing.

* * *

The bell chimed as the blonde exwire tiredly raised her head. She had slept through the history of demons class—again. Amaimon raised an eyebrow, taking in her tired form. Shiemi hadn't written any notes and there was a test tomorrow.

"…Do you need notes?"

"Huh?" She questioned, rubbing her eyes. The blonde turned her attention to her green-haired classmate.

"Here." He handed her his spiral notebook, waving goodbye and leaving the room before she could protest. The girl opened the notebook to find elegant cursive. Was this really Amaimon's notebook? Flipping through the pages, she paused at a detailed picture of a coal tar. An artist too? He sure was full of surprises.

Shiemi continued to flip through the pages until another drawing caught her eye. It was one of the few colored drawings in his notebook. Wide emerald eyes and blonde hair confirmed her suspicion. Amaimon, the Earth King, one of the Princes of Gehenna drew her.

Picking up the notebook and placing it in her bag, she ran out of the room, using the key to return to her house.

* * *

Somehow, the green-haired king had the sneaking suspicion he was forgetting something… oh well, he mused, jumping out of his bedroom window onto the ground, it probably wasn't too important.

* * *

A/N: Yay for Chapter 3! I promise we'll have more character interaction next chap and more fun w/ cram school (I plan to have a chap w/ summoning gone wrong and fatal prayers for Hobgoblins that Amaimon protests vehemently). If you enjoyed it please drop a review! Thanks!

-Isis


	4. Chapter 4- Hauntings at a Candy Store

Chapter 4- Hauntings at a Candy Store

A/N: Hello everyone! I want to thank all of you guys for your kind reviews; they really help motivate me to continue the story (although I would continue this story even if I got zero reviews because I find Amaimon and Shiemi so adorable). Ahem, without further ado, here's chapter 4. Remember, reviews are loved! Thanks!

-Isis

* * *

A tentative knock on the door broke the Earth King's light nap. The hobgoblin curled next to his face let out a whine as he walked towards the door, pulling it open.

"Hello…" He rubbed his cerulean eyes, nearly falling against the door as the world spun dangerously. Amaimon placed one clawed hand against the doorway, placing his other hand on the blurry human figure, nails digging into soft flesh. The demon immediately recoiled, sobering up from his drowsy state immediately. He let go of the blonde's arm, as if he had touched hot coals.

"I-I'm so sorry, Amaimon for coming to your room so late! You were probably asleep but I wanted to give your notes back; ah, the drawings were wonderful by the way. Oh no, I'm rambling! You p-probably want to go b-back to sleep right—"

"Thanks." He replied in his usual monotone, gently taking the spiral notebook from the girl's shaking hands. Wait… drawings?

"Uh, Shiemi, did you happen to—"

"Ah, bye Amaimon! I'll see you tomorrow! Goodnight!" Shuffling in her pink kimono, Shiemi scrambled down the hallway, tripping multiple times along the way.

The demon sighed, closing the door and placing the notebook on the desk. Returning to his bed, Amaimon stared up at the ceiling, pulling the hobgoblin close to him. Behemoth did not stir, acting as a sort of cuddly pillow for the Earth King to hug. Eventually, the tired demon fell asleep, one clawed arm of the hobgoblin under his neck.

* * *

Amaimon swirled the lollipop around his mouth in boredom, standing in a line with the other exorcists in standard True Cross Academy uniform. The sun was unbearably hot and the demon growled irritably, pulling at his tie. It was too hot to do _anything. _Sure, Gehenna wasn't a winter wonderland, but he was also in his true form there, not stuck in a stifling human body.

"Amaimon." Yukio called for the demon to step forward. He did so, gazing at his sort-of-half-brother with slight interest. His eyes traveled to the holstered guns. The Earth King had never gotten the chance to test Yukio's abilities and was curious as to how much fun he would have dodging blessed bullets. At least it would be a challenge…

"Amaimon you are to be paired with… Shiemi Moriyama. You two will check out a candy store that is supposedly haunted."

"What the hell, Yukio! You can't just leave Shiemi with—"

Yukio interrupted, adjusting his glasses, "Nii-san, Shiemi is quite capable of taking care of herself. She is also a tamer. Besides, we know what will happen if Amaimon does anything evil."

"But—"

"Rin." He warned.

"…Whatever. Come on, Bon." Rin stalked off, leaving the rest of the group.

"Watch yourself, Okumura. I'm not going to take orders from you." Bon threatened, even though he followed after the blue-haired boy with little chagrin.

"Let's go, Shiemi." Amaimon pulled on the sleeve of her shirt before walking forward.

"Ah, O-ok!" She appeared at his side, a wide smile on her face.

He gave a small smile back, one she almost didn't catch, before biting off the stick of the lollipop.

* * *

The bell on the door chimed lightly as the pair walked through.

"So, Amaimon… do you really think this store is haunted?" She whispered, staying close to the green-haired demon.

The demon shrugged, shuffling towards a row of candy apples. "I've been here many times since coming to Assiah. I haven't seen any low-level demons or apparitions but that doesn't rule out the possibility."

Shiemi nodded, picking up a heart-shaped lollipop. She had suddenly developed an affinity for cherry-flavored sweets and sorely wished she had brought money to spend. If only she had known her assignment would be in a candy store…

Amaimon stared at her choice in sweets before snatching up a few pieces of licorice and butterscotch candies. He walked towards the counter, depositing his sweets in front of the store owner.

"Ah, Amaimon-kun! It's great to see you! I didn't hear you enter; how's Faust-san? It's been a while since I last saw him."

"He's doing fine. I wanted to purchase these, if you don't mind."

The elderly man chuckled. "Of course, friend! You and Faust-san are my best customers! How about I give you some sweets for free; don't worry, I trust you. Just pick up something on the way out." He rang up the candy, smiling happily.

Shiemi watched with wonder as the demon shook his head when the man tried to give him his change. "I don't need it." He replied, walking towards the blonde exwire.

"Wow, Amaimon! That was a really kind thing you did!" She beamed.

"Hmm…?" He questioned, chewing on a piece of licorice.

"You let him keep the change. In Assiah, that's a really nice thing to do!"

Before he could reply the ground shook, knocking stray gumballs and lollipops from the shelves. Instinctively, he wrapped his arms around Shiemi, the pair falling to the floor as the shelves fell down around them.

"Nii-chan!" Shiemi cried out for the greenman. Her familiar sprouted roots, shielding the unconscious shop keeper from falling debris.

As the dust settled, a malicious laugh rang out. Coal tar flew from the cracks in the ground, blanketing the store in a swarm of darkness. "Oh, Amaimon, Prince of Earth, look how the mighty have fallen! Protecting a human girl; if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes I wouldn't have believed it! Hell, I _still _don't believe it!"

"Astaroth? What are you doing here? Didn't Father say to stay in Gehenna—"

"Shut up!" He sneered.

"You lost your title the second you shielded that girl! I came to visit the other princes who had shuffled off to Assiah, including you and Mephistopheles. Imagine my surprise when the coal tar I hid here relayed a message that a certain Gehenna prince had been frequenting the store and not acting the way befitting of his crown. You're lucky I came here first before reporting to Satan."

An arrow-tipped tail swayed behind him as he walked, pushing over the fallen shelves. He pulled the Earth King out of the debris by his neck, throwing him against the wall.

Amaimon growled, claws lengthening considerably. Hobgoblins congregated around him, swarming the coal tar.

"Hahahaha! That's more like it! This is the Earth King I remember! Now, show me the power that makes you one rank ahead of me! Show me so I can crush you and take your throne!" The white-haired demon lunged, ivory horns growing into ram horns as he charged Amaimon. The green-haired demon swiftly dodged the attack, flicking Astaroth's forehead and causing him to fly back into a row of shelves.

He rose to his feet, brushing debris off of his jacket. Walking towards the fallen exorcist, he laughed. "Heh, is that all you've got? What would happen, I wonder, if I did this?" Astaroth picked up the blonde exwire, holding her off the ground by her arm. She cried out in pain, emerald eyes twisted shut.

"Why is she so important to you? She's also an exorcist-in-training, correct? So, why? Do you want something from her? Like her _soul_?"

"Stop messing around!" Amaimon's eyes narrowed as he appeared next to the other prince, kicking him in the chest before catching Shiemi.

Placing her to her feet, he whispered in her ear, "Shiemi, go get the rest of the exorcists. I'll fight Astaroth off until then—"

"That's my line, bastard! Stop fucking around!" He roared, colliding into the green-haired prince. They fell into a gumball machine, the round pieces of candy scattering across the ground.

Shiemi ran out the front door, running towards the direction of the other exorcists.

"Amaimon, please be safe." She whispered, sprinting down the busy street.

* * *

When the exorcists rushed into the shop, weapons in hand, they came upon a… strange scene. Astaroth was nowhere to be seen, and the green-haired demon was covered in dust and bruises, shaking the shop keeper awake.

"Amaimon? What happened? I remember shaking and…"

"Shhh…" He put a clawed hand to the man's lips, reaching into his back pocket to pull out a candy-cane.

"There was…. an earthquake. I talked with Faust-san and he said he'll pay for the damages. Now, sleep." He commanded. The man's eyes fluttered close as Amaimon placed the candy-cane on his chest, brushing off more dust from his uniform before walking languidly towards the crowd of exorcists.

"Amaimon! I'm glad you're not hurt!" Shiemi ran to the Earth King, throwing her arms around him. The demon stiffened immediately, hands at his sides. Slowly, he brought his arms around her, relishing in the cinnamon scent of her hair.

The group looked around awkwardly as Rin fumed. Sighing, Yukio scribbled down some notes on his clipboard. "Well, it seems everyone managed to complete their assignment… although Moriyama-san and Amaimon have seemed to cause the most property damage. You two will need to talk to the principal when we get back."

The two aforementioned people broke away from their hug, Shiemi blushing heavily. Silently, Amaimon pulled out a certain heart-shaped lollipop from his pocket, surprised to see it unharmed in the fight. Using his teeth, the demon ripped open the clear plastic before literally placing it into the blonde exorcist's mouth.

All eyes widened at the gesture except for Amaimon who walked away calmly, hands in his pocket. He didn't know why everyone was staring at him… was it wrong to give a friend a lollipop? Perhaps there was a stigma of some sort in regards to hearts… were internal organs viewed negatively? In Gehenna he had been overjoyed at the prospect of hearts or eyes as presents. Maybe it was considered bad in Assiah. Shrugging, the demon mulled over the string of recent events, clutching his sore wrist. He'd probably need to have it bandaged later.

* * *

Amaimon waited in boredom outside Mephisto's office, biting on his nails to pass the time. Swinging his legs over the back of the chair, he wondered what his brother and Shiemi could possibly be talking about. Maybe sweets?

The door swung open as Shiemi stumbled out, guided by the clown of a principal.

"It was a pleasure talking with you, Moriyama-san! Please, come visit whenever you wish!"

The blonde stuttered out a thank-you before bowing at both of the demons. She then sprinted down the hall, heart racing.

The violet-haired demon smiled sardonically, canines flashing dangerously as he watched the exorcist disappear down the hall.

"Amaimon." He spoke in a low tone, eyes narrowing.

"I have quite a few questions to ask of you, in private." He motioned for the Earth King to step inside the office.

The green-haired demon stood in front of the desk as Mephisto leaned over it, baring his teeth.

"I asked you to watch over Rin Okumura. I've been watching the class and noticed you've only kept your eyes on Shiemi Moriyama. Tell me, Amaimon, what are your feelings towards her?

The demon paused, scratching the back of his head. What were his feelings towards the exwire? She smelled sweet like candy and was always nice to him. Her voice was soft and her eyes reminded him of tall blades of grass. She wasn't afraid of him like everyone else was and she seemed to honestly enjoy his company.

"….I do not know." He confessed, staring down at his feet. What other emotions were there between happiness in bloodshed or boredom when he wasn't fighting?

"I wanted you to get a better understanding of Assiah so I guess this is partly my fault. The way you're acting, these new feelings that have surfaced, they are unneeded in demons. In fact, they only hinder our growth. Humans are toys, playthings, pawns; they are _never _friends. And they are most certainly never _lovers_. I suggest you distance yourself from her unless you wish for heartache. I care for you, brother. But, if you do not heed my warning I will not be able to guarantee your safety or Moriyama-san's. Do you understand?"

He wanted to talk back, to say it was his choice and he would do whatever the Hell he wanted with his life but he settled for a small nod.

"Good. Now, I heard you fought Astaroth? Why was he here?"

"…Because of my relationship with Shiemi. He thought I was growing weaker and wanted to take away my throne. I sent him back to Gehenna so he shouldn't be back for at least a little while. He was fun to play with though, but the coal tar tasted horrible. Like burnt peppermint." He wrinkled his nose at the thought, unconsciously rubbing his wrist.

The principal noticed this and swiftly grabbed his arm. "You wouldn't have allowed yourself to be hurt. You were protecting someone when you got this wound, correct?"

Amaimon didn't respond, avoiding the man's emerald gaze. "I asked you a question, Amaimon." Mephisto tightened his grip on the man's arm, laughing at the cry of pain the Earth King made.

"…I was. I couldn't let them die in front of the other exorcists. They would've have blamed me for their injuries."

The demon of time released his arm, frowning. "I don't want to see you here again unless I call for you. Understand?"

Amaimon nodded, pushing open the large window and jumping onto the ground before Mephisto could stop him. He took off in a sprint, clutching the infinity key in his pocket.

* * *

Shiemi hummed as she watered her plants, the moon high in the sky. She wanted to tend to her garden before she slept and was slowly dozing off as she watered them. A flash of green stole from her bedroom to the ground, landing silently.

A clawed hand gripped her shoulder, causing her to let out a cry of fright.

"Oh, Amaimon! Geeze, you scared me! What are you doing out so late?"

He didn't respond, instead cradling his sore wrist.

"Are you hurt? Wait here, I'll get a first-aid kit!" She ran back into the house, coming out with a white box a few minutes later.

"Let me see your arm, please."

He obeyed, rolling up his sleeves to expose a bruised wrist.

Shiemi fumbled with the first-aid kit, pulling out a roll of bandages before wrapping it gently around his arm. Her hands felt cold against his skin and he closed his eyes as she wrapped the wound. Eventually, he fell against her shoulder, eyes closed in sleep.

"Amaimon, you can't sleep here! You might catch a cold!" She nudged him but he did not stir, instead pulling her to his chest as if she was a cuddly hobgoblin.

Flustered, she managed to squirm out of his grip before returning to her house, grabbing a large quilt and running back outside to the garden. Placing it around him she smiled. He looked so peaceful, sleeping in a meadow of sunflowers. She couldn't help but ruffle his hair, patting his head gently. Eventually, her eyes also began to close, falling against the sleeping demon king. Amaimon pulled her to his chest yet again but she did not protest, a smile on her lips.

And, he opened his eyes, a mischievous smile on his lips. He breathed in her summery, cinnamon scent before falling asleep next to her.

* * *

A/N: Yay for fluff! I swear there is a plot I just keep getting sidetracked, lol :P I hope you guys enjoy it! Thanks for all the reviews so far, I truly appreciate all of them! I'll see you guys in Ch. 5!

-Isis


	5. Chapter 5- Contaigous

Chapter 5- Contagious

A/N: Update time! I hope this story seems coherent, lol (sometimes I feel it isn't). I swear there's a plot buried behind all the fluff XD

Disclaimer: If I owned Blue Exorcist I would have made this pairing canon.

-Isis

* * *

"Shiemi? It's past ten; you shouldn't sleep in so late just because it's the weekend…" The woman knocked on the door for a third time before pulling it open. A floral bed sheet (which she noticed had _huge _gaping holes in it) was spread out and it was obvious no one had slept in it that night. Besides needing to talk to her daughter about her sleeping habits (did she eat her blankets in her sleep?), she observed that the room was uncharacteristically void of plants. Well, almost; the tulip beside her window remained. She could only come to the conclusion that it was the infamous 'Amaimon,' the same one her daughter had been whispering to at night.

Shaking her head and leaving the room she muttered, "I hope to God she hasn't gotten any of her grandmother's weird… habits. Like sleepwalking. It's bad enough she talks to plants."

* * *

The sound of footfalls against the grass stirred the Earth King from his slumber, causing him to reflexively tighten his grip on his 'bride.' He could faintly hear yelling as the woman approached, cerulean eyes noting the similarities between the sleeping girl in his arms and the human wielding a broom. A light bulb went off in his brain. Ah, so she was her mother. It was a strange thought for a demon. Family units were merely for show, as his 'brothers' (minus Mephisto) saw him as nothing but a threat to their own respective thrones. And the nicest thing Amaimon could ever remember his 'Father' doing was that one time where he spared a weak baby hobgoblin (whom Amaimon named 'Behemoth' because he wanted him to grow big and strong) for his son. At the time, it was in a mocking manner, to show that the only demons he could ever wish to have under his own dominion were ones as weak as himself.

"Get your hands off my daughter!"

The green-haired youth winced at the pitch of the woman's voice. For a millisecond he entertained the notion of feeding the loud nuisance to his hobgoblin. But, just because he would be overjoyed if someone ate his brothers didn't mean it was the same for humans. Stilling his bloodlust, the demon spoke in an archaic tongue, eyes becoming slits. A gust of wind knocked the broom from the woman's hand, sailing across the blue sky and landing on the roof. It rolled down the sloping shingles until it landed comically in the gutter. He'd have to get that later. Mourning the loss of her broom (it was her favorite, damnit!), the woman became even more enraged. _Oh. _Amaimon had hoped relieving her of her weapon would cause her anger to fade a little. If only…

"I said get away from my daughter! Are you deaf or something?"

He begrudgingly released his grip on the blonde, carefully laying her head, which had been resting on his lap, to the soft earth. Slowly, he stood up, bowing. He didn't know why, but the woman looked at him like he had just pillaged her farm. He knew the look from experience.

"Hello. I did not steal any plants or flowers from this garden, I swear." He bowed again for good measure.

The woman paused from her fuming to give a questioning look. "T-that's not what I care about! Shiemi, wake up!"

This caused the blonde exwire to sleepily stir, rubbing her eyes. She sneezed cutely (in Amaimon's opinion) before turning her eyes to the two other people in the garden.

"Mother…" She croaked out. A series of coughs racked her tiny frame as she stumbled in-between the two.

"P-please don't fight… he's a friend from school." She swayed dangerously, cheeks flushed.

The demon immediately returned to her side, confusion etched on his face. Sneezing, coughing, her voice… had she gotten sick? He had only observed human illness from afar, but he was sure these were common symptoms of what humans called a 'cold.' Wordlessly, he picked her up, walking towards Shiemi's mother. The exwire surprisingly did not protest, instead burying her head in his shirt.

"She needs rest. I'll take her to her room."

"W-wait, I don't even know your name!"

"It's Amaimon…" He trailed off, eyeing the bedroom window. He could easily jump up and open the window with his demonic strength but he wasn't sure if the older woman knew of the existence of demons. His brother would be mad if he accidentally exposed his true nature. And, from the countless manga he had read in his boredom, you were supposed to leave a positive impression on family members of friends.

"Wait, so you aren't a plant?"

"Hm?" He had managed to unlock the front door quietly with his long nails, pushing open the door with his elbow.

"Did Shiemi tell you I was a plant?" He asked curiously.

"She said you were a flower. A tulip, I think."

He mulled over the new information. She thought he was like a flower? How strange; he was still unsure of common human customs, but he hadn't read anything about being called a flower when you were a male as a positive thing.

So he responded with a bemused nod, leaving the woman alone in the garden.

Shiemi's mother blinked. And then blinked again.

"Who said you were allowed in _my _house?!"

* * *

The Earth King deposited the girl onto the bed, letting out a slight chuckle when she refused to let go of his shirt. Gently, he pried her hands off, pulling the covers over her quickly. He went through a mental checklist from what he remembered from that one American TV show ( which he distinctly recalled as _General _Hospital) he had stumbled upon one evening. Well, he mused, he should probably check for a heartbeat. That seemed important.

He placed one pointy ear against her collarbone, listening. Sure enough, he heard the flutter of a heartbeat. It seemed to beat much more rapidly than his own which caused him some worry. It was beating so fast, like a mouse; was a heart supposed to beat that quickly? He had only ever held non-beating, unattached hearts before. And he had always opted to eat them (it was rude to reject a gift, after all) instead of observing them.

Pulling back, he observed the female exorcist. Her whole face was a beet red (probably from a fever, he assumed) and she wouldn't make eye contact. Uh oh. Was she hallucinating? He remembered that if a person was looking around the room while they were sick it could mean they was something wrong with their brain (Schizo-something… perhaps it evolved from colds?). The Earth King grabbed her shoulders, shaking her slightly.

"W-what?"

"Are you hallucinating?"

"…I-I don't think so. Did you just place your head on my chest?"

He nodded once.

Her face grew redder. Embarrassed, she puffed out her cheeks cutely, turning away to look at the tulip by her window. That Amaimon never gave her butterflies in her stomach… wait—what was she saying? He was a demon, and not some random one. He was one of the eight Gehenna princes for crying out loud! The fever was obviously affecting her ability to think. Maybe if she shut her eyes for a moment—

The sound of a certain demon fishing through her bedside drawer caused her to open her eyes. He grasped a clear, cylinder-shaped object. Numbers ran down the side of the glass and he realized it was exactly what he was looking for. This was the 'thermometer' the show was talking about! He shook it as he had saw the doctors on the show had done (although, most times, they had electronic ones connected to a machine), clawed hands cradling it gently. Unfortunately, due to his careful handling, it slipped, cracking on the ground. With demon-like speed, Amaimon picked up the pieces (careful to not cut himself) and deposited them into the trashcan. He returned to her bedside, clearly frustrated. If only Mephisto was here; how was he supposed to test her temperature now? A flash of brilliance (or was it stupidity?) caused him to remember a scene he had seen in one of those sappy romantic movies Mephisto had made him watch. He gently placed his clawed hand on her forehead. Her skin was definitely too hot. The girl's eyes fluttered closed at the feel of his hand on her skin. It was like a block of ice against her feverish skin and she almost let out a cry of displeasure when he removed his hand.

"I'll be back." He trotted out the room and down the staircase towards the kitchen. He was instantly hit with the smell of soup and paused near the stove.

Shiemi's mother did not turn from her cooking as she addressed the demon, "Is that you, Amaimon? Since you've already invited yourself into the house you might as well help me. Can you grab a couple of carrots from the garden as well as wash and peel them? I'm making chicken noodle soup."

The demon nodded, shuffling towards the back door that lead to the garden. He returned to the kitchen swiftly, turning the faucet on and running the carrots under the gentle spray. Carefully, he used the metal tool to cut off the skin as the woman instructed, handing her the carrots once he was done.

"Thank-you." She took them from his hands before handing him a cloth and a basin of ice-cold water.

"I see you have no ideas of leaving, so make yourself useful and make sure the compress stays cold and on her forehead."

He nodded, walking up the stairs and into the blonde's bedroom. She greeted him warmly, albeit with a cough, cheeks still flushed pink.

Amaimon placed the cloth on her forehead, taking a seat on the side of her bed. The blonde giggled, looking up at the green-haired man curiously.

"…Do you have a tail like Rin?"

Well, that was a strange question. He nodded.

"That's cool! Is the spike on your head just hair or is it a horn?"

Where were all these strange questions coming from? Her fever must really be messing with her brain.

"…It's a horn."

"Can I touch it? Your horn? Or your tail?"

He stiffened considerably. This was dangerous territory for demons. Both his horn and tail were sensitive and weak points. Glancing at her face he noticed she had pulled the 'puppy-dog eyes' he had seen on television. Sighing, he gave in, letting his tail slip from his pants.

It was a dark green and looked quite like Rin's except it tapered off like a lizard's tail.

"How cool!" She beamed, obviously delirious. She was definitely a strange one… most humans would run away screaming but she looked positively giddy. Subconsciously, he was glad she wasn't disgusted with his more demonic parts of his body.

Surprisingly, her hands reached out not to grab his tail but his horn, face inches from his own. He felt the fluttering of something in his stomach as she grabbed his horn, giggling. Was the human expression 'butterflies in your stomach?' He wasn't quite sure he liked it. Even more surprising, she gave him a quick peck on the cheek before collapsing back, cloth down at her side. He placed it back on her forehead before bringing his hand to his cheek.

Was that a human kiss? In Gehenna, it was common for demons to battle for dominance through 'kisses' but in a more feral, animalistic way. It usually involved one of the participants losing a tongue. This gentle, chaste kiss stirred foreign feelings and Mephisto's warning boomed dangerously in his head.

Well, he was never the type to follow rules anyway.

Amaimon bent his head down to her sleeping face, taking in the picture of her long eyelashes and button nose, as well as her pink, pouty lips. His gaze lingered on her lips for a few moments before he dove in for a 'human' kiss. Her lips tasted like peppermint and he immediately wanted more. Just as he dived in for another kiss the door opened, causing him to stop centimeters from her lips.

"Get away from my daughter!" The older woman chased him literally out the window, to which he landed not-so gracefully on his behind, rolling out of the way as a bowl full of soup nearly hit him squarely on the head. He ran from the garden, jumping the fence before allowing himself to go into a full out sprint, gliding towards True Cross Academy.

* * *

"Brother, I have a question."

The violet-haired demon in question paused from his cup of ramen, sighing in annoyance.

"Didn't I tell you to not bother me?"

"But, this is important. Can demons catch human illnesses?"

Mephisto laughed, nearly choking on his noodles. "Of course not! While we possess human bodies our spirit keeps the host from aging as well as illness."

"…Then why does my chest hurt so much? It feels like there's an elephant in my chest! It even becomes hard to breathe, and sometimes I suddenly forget _how _to breathe! My head hurts and it feels like I'm dying whenever I don't see _her_!" For the first time Mephisto could honestly remember, his younger brother was displaying a variety of emotion. _How interesting…_

"I know what you are experiencing. This disease is common in humans but can also rarely spread to demons. It's very dangerous and almost always fatal. It causes demons to do stupid, illogical things."

"Well, what is it?!" He seemed exasperated, the lines under his cobalt eyes even more pronounced than usual.

"It is called… Love."

* * *

A/N: I hope you guys liked it! What will Mephisto do to Amaimon now that he's in L-O-V-E? Poor Amaimon, he must be so confused XD

Anyway, if you enjoyed the chap please leave a review! I always appreciate every single review! Thanks again and I'll see you guys in Chapter 6!

-Isis


	6. Chapter 6- Summoning

Chapter 6- Summoning

A/N: Sorry for the delay guys! I've been swamped with work (as usual) but I really haven't forgotten about you awesome people who seem to like my story :P I hope this makes up for the delay and thanks again for all the kind reviews! Each one makes me feel warm and fuzzy XD

Disclaimer: If I owned Blue Exorcist we would have already met _all _of the Gehenna princes.

* * *

"…Love?"

The violet-haired demon nodded. "Yes, Amaimon. It's possible for any demon. Since I now know nothing I say will stop you from pursuing a relationship with Miss Moriyama, I'll do my best to help you. That's what big brothers are for, after all!" There was a glint of malicious intent in his topaz eyes but it was quickly wiped away as he rummaged through his drawers. He came back with a stack of novels and movies.

"Read these and watch the movies. You'll learn all about how humans view love. You might even want to watch one of those movies with Moriyama-san. Girls around her age usually like those sort of things."

The King of Earth nodded dimly, taking the stack of books with him as he left the office. Honestly, he was just surprised to still be breathing. The last time he disobeyed his brother the man had sent him back to Gehenna, with no way to return to Assiah. It was a horribly boring purgatory for the green-haired demon.

As he made his way to his room he couldn't help but feel something off about the entire situation. Mephisto had blatantly threatened him to death if he disobeyed him, but now here he was, handing him romance novels and the like in an attempt to 'help' his younger brother. The demon shook his head in confusion. If there was one thing Mephisto was good at, it was mind games. Realizing it did no good to dwell on his brother's eccentricities, the Earth King opted to flip open one of the numerous books Mephisto gave him.

"True Love: The Beginner's Guide to Courtship…" Amaimon read aloud, skimming the chapter summaries. After reading a chapter the demon had to close the book, a headache forming from the blatant cheesiness of the pages. It practically oozed hearts and rainbows. Absentmindedly, Amaimon began to scratch at the bandages on his wrist as he grew bored.

Using his canines, the demon tore off the bandages to reveal decaying skin. The wound in his arm had turned completely black, flaking off in a disgusting manner. This had never happened to him before in all the times he had traveled to Assiah. Perhaps he had spent too much time in the human world? His gut reaction was to tell Mephisto about the wound immediately but he stilled, cerulean eyes turning to slits. His brother's true intentions were still shrouded in mystery. Instead, the demon wrapped his wrist again, silently thanking that the school uniform came with a blazer and jacket. He would hide it for as long as he could, if only to be able to stay in Assiah for a little while longer.

* * *

"Alright class, you're normal summoning teacher's sick so they asked me to fill in. Remember, this is dangerous and blah, blah, blah, just don't get yourselves killed. Any questions?" Shura lounged on the desk, smiling deviously at her students. Everyone (minus Takara and Amaimon) glanced at each other nervously, gulping as the red-headed woman drew a summoning circle.

"Ya all need to form a line. Girls first."

Begrudgingly, the class followed her orders as Izumo stepped up first, staring down at the summoning circle hesitantly.

"Wait a sec; you can already summon stuff, right?"

The crimson-eyed girl nodded.

"Well, now ya need to try somethin' different. Try to summon something other than your regular familiars.

"B-but isn't that dangerous?" Konekomaru spoke up, adjusting his glasses nervously.

"Hahaha, you kids are hilarious, I tell ya. If ya summon somethin' bad I'll just send it back to Gehenna. No worries!" As if to emphasize their supposed safety, the woman pulled out her sword, swinging it up in the air—to get it stuck in the ceiling.

"Ahahaha… don't worry guys, I was just messing with ya." She erupted into a fit of giggles, nearly slipping off the desk.

"Uh, Shura… you're not drunk, right?"

"Of course not, Rin! What sorta person do ya think I am? That would be settin' a horrible example." She hiccupped, jumping to the ground.

"Now… let the lessons begin."

Izumo nodded silently, swiping her finger against her teeth before leaving a single drop of blood on her summoning paper. Everyone waited with baited breath, watching as the classroom shook. Two wisps of smoke arose from the circle, revealing themselves to be the same fox demons Izumo usually summoned.

The girl blushed wildly, fuming, "I-I don't know why but no matter what I do these two are all that ever show up when I summon; whether I use a chant or not!"

"Hehehe… nice try, eyebrows!" Rin called out, laughing as the girl stalked away to the back of the class, ripping up her summoning paper. The two familiars faded away, leaving the summoning circle empty.

"Alright, now it's your turn Shiemi. Same rules apply; try summoning something different for a change."

The girl nodded her head fervently, stepping into the circle. She bit her thumb, dropping blood onto the paper. A bright light shined from the circle as everyone took a few steps back. The classroom rocked violently as a horde of hobgoblins spilled from the circle.

"W-what the Hell?" Shura cried out, taking the summoning paper from the stunned girl's hands. She tore it, immediately dispersing the demons.

All eyes turned to Amaimon. He looked at them quizzically, draping an arm over the blonde's shoulder.

"What? She made a bond with Behemoth, after all. And… she is _my _bride." A hint of smugness invaded his voice, causing Rin to let out a growl.

"Get your hands off her!" Blue flames had erupted across the teen's skin.

"No." Amaimon replied, pulling the girl to his chest. "She's mine. Go away." He sounded akin to a spoiled child, glaring at his half-brother earnestly.

"That's it! I've had enough of you and your crap!" Rin roared, unwrapping his sword and removing the scabbard. He swung haphazardly, slicing into a desk as the demon dodged the attack, carrying Shiemi over his shoulder.

"Stop being idiots!" Shura interjected, grabbing both of the demons by the collar of their jackets.

Almost immediately they lunged for each other, Amaimon placing Shiemi on a desk before worming his way out of the exorcist's grip to attack Rin. They tumbled to the floor as the rest of the class scattered, running to the back of the room. The blonde exwire looked at the two worriedly, fishing out another piece of summoning paper as they fought. The red-headed exorcist left the room, muttering "I don't get paid enough for this crap… I need a beer."

Cutting her finger again, Shiemi summoned Nii-chan, whispering her orders to him. The greenman cried out happily, creating two cages made of roots. Both fought against their prisons, Rin even attempting to burn away the roots to no avail. Eventually, they calmed down, both resigning to sit on the wooden floor. Amaimon huffed, clearly bored whereas Rin begrudgingly sheathed his sword, looking away from his half-brother.

"Oh, the fight's over already? Sorry 'bout that Yukio, I guess Shiemi knew what to do after all." Shura commented, leading the glasses-wearing exorcist into the room.

"It's alright Shura-san. I'm just happy no one was seriously hurt." He turned to his twin, glasses hiding his eyes.

"Now, Nii-san, I think you owe the Academy money now. I assume this," the exorcist pointed at the desk that had been cut cleanly in half, "is your handiwork?"

"Y-yah, but Amaimon started it!" Rin stuttered, defending himself.

"I don't care who started it. You're the only one who caused property damage. This will be a pain to have fixed…" Yukio trailed off, walking towards the blonde summoner.

"Thank-you, Shiemi-san, for stopping their fight. I appreciate it."

The girl blushed, looking down at the ground, "I-I just didn't want anyone to get hurt…"

Both demons currently entangled in the roots turned their attention to the bespectacled man. They glared at the man jealously as he placed a warm hand on her shoulder before turning to address the rest of the class who were standing shell-shocked in the back of the room.

"Alright, I think that's enough for one day. We'll continue class later once we are sure all the hobgoblins are gone. Class dismissed."

* * *

Shiemi sighed, resting her head against the history textbook. The day's events swirled around in her head, causing the girl to groan loudly. It was her first day back to school since being sick and a fight had broken out. Even worse, she had a dim recollection of a kiss by none other than Amaimon but she couldn't be sure. She had been stricken with a fever; for all she knew it could have been a dream. And there was no way she was just going to ask the Earth King upfront. But, if anything, his somewhat possessive behavior made her think that the kiss was more than just a figment of her imagination. As if on cue, the demon of her thoughts glided in through the window to tumble into the room.

Picking himself off the floor, he gave a small grin, settling onto her bed.

"I… wanted to apologize. I shouldn't have attacked Rin." He looked away, gnawing at his nails.

The blonde waved her hands wildly, turning around in her chair. "N-no, I totally understand. I know you were just kidding but Rin took you seriously. I should be apologizing for not stopping the both of you sooner!"

The demon tipped his head to the side in confusion. He hadn't been 'kidding' about anything he said. Thinking better of retorting, he instead procured a DVD from thin air. "Do you want to watch something? I'm bored."

Shiemi nodded, closing her textbook. "Sure, my mom's not home right now so we can watch the movie in the living room." The demon followed her down the stairs and towards the large plasma-screen TV.

Taking the DVD, Shiemi popped in the disc, turning towards the kitchen. "Do you want some popcorn?"

"Sure." Amaimon replied, plopping down onto the comfortable sofa.

"Alright, just give me a second!" She smiled, walking towards the pantry to retrieve the popcorn bag. A few minutes later she returned with a bucket of popcorn.

As the movie started both reached for a piece of popcorn, only to bump hands.

"Ah, sorry." The Earth King apologized, removing his hand.

"It's alright!" Shiemi insisted, taking a handful of popcorn. Both turned their attention to the screen. The movie was some sappy chick flick but to Amaimon it was surprisingly interesting. How far humans would go to declare their love was foreign and somewhat daunting to the demon. It was vastly different to how demons viewed love. Love was a tool. Something you could twist to get whatever you wanted. But, this pure love, to just want to be by someone's side, reminded him of his own feelings for the girl sitting beside him. There was no denying it. He was in love.

Shiemi seemed surprisingly bored by the movie as she yawned through most of it, covering her mouth with her hand. Eventually, her emerald eyes fluttered close as she leaned in on the demon's shoulder. Hesitantly, the demon king ran his fingers through her hair, giving a soft smile.

He truly wanted nothing more than to stay by her side.

* * *

A silver-haired demon stalked about the office, visibly upset.

"Now, now, Astaroth, I told you only to capture Amaimon, not try to kill him."

"I know that, damnit! The brat's just so freaking annoying!"

The principal sighed, standing from his desk.

"You know what to do. Just remember, if you dare disobey me… the consequences _will _be fatal."

The King of Rot huffed, jumping through the open window. He called out a final time before disappearing into the night. "Whatever, Samael. I'll get that brat back to Gehenna before he can cause any more trouble. Even if I have to drag his corpse."

The violet-haired demon rubbed his temples, moving his paperwork to the side.

"Why can't you see I'm doing this for your own good, Amaimon? The more entangled we become in the lives of humans the more pain we are caused…"

* * *

A/N: Sorry about the shortness of this chap T-T I promise the next one will be longer! Luckily, the plots finally kicked in and I have the ending drafted so let the suspense begin, lol XD

Thanks again for all the reviews and I'll see you guys next chap!

-Isis


	7. Chapter 7- Goodbyes

. Chapter 7- Goodbyes .

A/N: I'm so sorry guys for taking forever to update T-T It's been what, like two months? That's really unfair to you guys who have faved and followed my story, and for that you have my sincerest apologies. I do, however, have some good news: updates for this story should return to its usual 1-2 week period as I have the rest of this story planned out, finally. To add to this, I want to mention that I do have some more Amaimon/Shiemi stories that will hopefully take up the time between updates for this story. They are both AU's titled 'Every Flower Fades' and 'The Pariah' if you wish to check them out. There is also a short little Amaimon/Shiemi oneshot called 'An Eternity and a Day' if you want something quick as well XD Hopefully my writing's improved in the two month gap (looking back at the first couple of chapters for this story makes me inwardly cringe). Now that I got that out of the way, I give you the seventh chapter of 'Sleepwalkers!'

Disclaimer: Two months later and surprise—I still don't own Blue Exorcist.

* * *

The green-haired demon did not appear in class the next day. It was puzzling; the demon never missed a day of class ever since becoming a student, as studious as Bon in regards to attendance. The thought of him suddenly disappearing left a sour taste on the girl's tongue. In her heart she could feel something—a slight tug telling her to find him.

She turned her eyes to the right, a tight frown on her lips. The empty seat seemed especially cold and empty. No longer did she hear the sound of pencil scratching on paper as the King of Earth doodled lazily on the margins of his paper. No longer did she hear the sound of his nails tapping against the wooden desk in a loose rhythm, glacier eyes turned to either her or the front of the classroom. No longer did she see the flutter of a smile against his pale lips when she turned her emerald orbs in his direction. And it _hurt_.

Shiemi stood up abruptly, chair scratching noisily against the tiled floor. All heads turned to her at her sudden outburst, a look of surprise on all of the exwire's faces.

"Is something wrong, Moriyama-san?" Yukio questioned, adjusting his glasses.

The blonde tamer kept her head bowed, fingers clenched in the edge of her pleated skirt. "I-I…" She started, voice wavering. Something felt _wrong_. She didn't know how, but it seemed as if the very air of the room was suffocating, pressing like weights against her.

"Where is Amaimon?" She finally asked, voice laden with concern.

"I assume he is in his room. Rin knocked on his door before class began—he said he was feeling unwell." Yukio spoke, a hint of confusion in his cobalt orbs.

Shiemi bowed deeply, face flushed pink from embarrassment. "I'm s-sorry everyone, but I have to find him." With nothing more as an explanation, the girl ran out of the room, a flash of gold against the dark walls.

_I just want to be able to go to class with him again… _She thought, ignoring the stares of her confused peers.

"Shiemi, wait!" Rin called out, ready to follow her outside the class.

"Nii-san, sit back down. I'm not going to have everyone go follow her."

"B-but she's going to see him alone! What if he—"

"Calm down. Shiemi can manage fine on her own." The brown-haired twin interrupted, sighing heavily.

Reluctantly, Rin sat back down, only to stand up again at the sudden appearance of a certain hobgoblin. He materialized through the door and was almost shot by Yukio, if not for the chain that trailed behind it, marking the beast as Amaimon's.

"That's Behemoth, isn't it?" Izumo spoke up, pointing to the familiar who seemed to be crawling across the room wildly. A slight whine could be heard as the demon plopped in front of Amaimon's seat, moaning pitifully.

"Amaimon never lets Behemoth go anywhere on his own. This is getting freaking weird…" Rin muttered, taking the chain leash of the hobgoblin. It perked up immediately, nearly tugging the boy's arm off as it ran frantically towards the door.

"H-hold on, geeze! Yukio, I think he's trying to get me to follow him. Besides, can full demons even get sick? This is starting to sound pretty fishy."

"I also believe that something is not right. I guess it can't be helped; class is on break for the time being, until we pinpoint the Earth King's whereabouts."

* * *

Shiemi rushed down the familiar corridor, nearly tripping in her haste as the demon's door came into view. She knocked on the door frantically, voice calling to the Earth King imploringly.

"Amaimon? Are you alright? Open up, please!" She called, continuing to beat against the door even after a few good minutes had passed. There was no response.

The blonde then tried to jiggle the doorknob, surprised to find the door unlocked. Opening the door, she let out a gasp, hands flying to her lips.

The room was in total disarray. There were claw marks all over the wall and ceiling, his bed had been reduced to a pile of tattered pieces, and the desk was broken in two. Pages of books and manga littered the floor as well as what appeared to be the remnants of some chest or drawer. The ceiling fan had been completely pried apart, leaving a gaping hole in the middle of the ceiling. Even the lamps were broken, shattered pieces of glass scattered everywhere in the darkened room. In the center of the storm was the unconscious figure of Amaimon, curled under a piece of his broken bookshelf.

"Amaimon!" Shiemi darted towards the sleeping prince, prying off the board that weighed against his abdomen. Placing an ear against his chest, she was relieved to hear that his heart was still beating. He was unconscious, and from his appearance, seemed only to be sleeping. She could see no visible signs of a wound, a sigh of relief escaping her lips.

_At least he's not hurt… but what happened here? Did he do this?_

Shiemi turned around at the sound of shuffling feet as the group of exwires finally made their way into the Earth King's room. Behemoth whined sadly at the form of his sleeping master, gently rubbing his nose against the man's arm. He did not stir, even when Behemoth jumped on his chest, licking the demon's cheek.

"What happened here, Shiemi?" Rin questioned, the first to speak up.

Ah, well, his room was like this when I got here. I don't know if he did this or…" She trailed off, toying with the ends of her hair. She had no idea why the green-haired demon would destroy his own room. He had seemed perfectly fine the day before, albeit a bit more listless than usual.

Before Rin could speak again, Amaimon's eyes fluttered open, pupils turned to dangerous slits. Behemoth cowered back instantly, hiding himself under the ruined bed. Shiemi brightened instantly, almost going to hug the demon but paused at the sight of his bared teeth.

"Amai… mon?" She questioned, hesitantly reaching out a hand.

He swiped dangerously at her, nails just grazing her skin. The contact made no wounds, but the girl cradled her arm toward herself, confusion and fear present in her emerald orbs.

The Earth King growled again, this time turning his attention to the navy-haired half-demon. He lunged at Rin, teeth bared. The cobalt-eyed teen just barely had time to block the attack with his sword, still held in its fabric case.

"So, you've finally showed your true colors, huh? Then I guess I don't have to hold back!" Rin pulled out his sword, unsheathing it immediately. Blue flames sparked across his clothes, bathing the small room in a dim cerulean.

"Nii-san, wait!" Yukio started, noticing that Amaimon had taken a few steps back. Suddenly, the ground under them shook as a feral growl ripped from the green-haired demon's lips. A green flower emerged from his chest, followed by the sound of fabric tearing. His arms had grown in muscle, markings appearing that looked similar to that of the hobgoblins under his domain. A long, lizard-like tail emerged from behind him as he charged towards the teen again, successfully pinning him to the wall.

"Shit!" Rin cursed, surprised by the sudden increase in power. It was nothing like the fight he had with the demon prince in the forest. There was something… animalistic about the youth in front of him, looking as if his only thoughts were that of killing and death.

Shiemi stood torn, unable to believe that the same boy who had helped her when she was sick could be suddenly turning against them _This isn't the real Amaimon. He wouldn't betray us—not now._

Rin struggled futilely in the demon's grip, the crater of their impact apparent on the white wall. Yukio quickly brought out his gun, aiming at the demon king's back. He glanced quickly at the blonde at his side who had crumpled to the ground in a mix of fear and despair. She noticed the brown-haired twin putting a blessed bullet into the gun and pulled at his pants leg.

"No… this isn't like Amaimon at all. He wouldn't do this—I believe in him."

"Shiemi…" Yukio started, only to see his brother be pushed to the floor, one lizard-like hand pressed against his throat. Rin brought a shaky hand up, successfully cutting into the demon's chest. Amaimon howled indignantly, fury clear in his cerulean orbs. The blue flames licked up his clothing, revealing a patch of darkness against his pale skin. It looked like dead skin, peeling off gruesomely in no particular pattern, reminding the blue-haired teen too much of rotting flesh.

Quickly, Yukio swapped out his bullets, putting in a clip of tranquilizers before firing. The tranquilizer made it to its destined target, successfully digging into the Earth King's back. The green-haired demon wobbled slightly before falling to the ground, reverting back to his regular form.

Rin sheathed his sword, staring questioningly at his brother's decision. "Why didn't you shoot him with blessed bullets?"

"I know you saw it too… the markings on his skin. That _was _rotting flesh. It looks like the handiwork of Astaroth, the King of Rot. I've read enough of the medical handbooks to know a curse from Astaroth when I see one. We need to take him to see the principal."

Shiemi returned to the Earth King's side, brows furrowed in worry.

* * *

"Oh, what an interesting surprise! Come in, come in~! You can place Amaimon on the couch over there." Mephisto ordered, a characteristic grin on his face.

Rin and Bon, who had been given the task of carrying the unconscious demon, rolled the prince onto the pinstriped couch, turning their gaze to the violet-haired principal.

Mephisto walked towards his sleeping brother, a calculating look in his forest green eyes. "I see… it's a good thing you children brought him to me now. This is most certainly a curse given by Astaroth. I can delay the effects for a time, but he will ultimately die if the curse is left untreated. Tell me, did he fight you when he awoke?"

The exwires nodded. Mephisto grinned, taking a seat behind his desk.

"So, how do we help the stupid broccoli-head?" Rin questioned.

"…There are two ways to end the curse. The first being that Amaimon will need to return to Gehenna to recuperate and find a different human host. The only problem is that time flows differently in Gehenna; if I take him there it may be centuries before he returns to Assiah."

"And the other option?" Shiemi spoke up, gaze glued to the sleeping demon.

"Well, it would be significantly more difficult. You would have to get Astaroth to take away the curse willingly. If done soon, Amaimon should be able to keep his human host and not return to Gehenna."

"W-we must try the second option!" The blonde blurted out nervously.

"Why? We can just let Amaimon go back to Gehenna—"

"No!" She started, only to blush deeply. She tried again, voice wavering, "I-It's just that… I want to be able to go to school with Amaimon again. He's become my friend, like everyone else. I don't want him to disappear forever!"

Rin sighed, moving to ruffle the girl's hair affectionately. "Alright. I guess I can see where you're coming from. I may not like Amaimon all that much, but he's as much of a student as anyone else. We have to help him!"

"Nii-san, that's ridiculous—" He started, only to be interrupted by Ryuji.

Bon sighed, annoyance clear in his voice. "You guys are stupid. He tried to kill _all _of us during that stupid camping trip. But…" He began, turning his eyes to Shiemi, "If you two idiots really think it's worth the risk, I'll help. Besides, it would be good practice, fighting another demon king."

"Am I the only sane one here? You guys are crazy. Count me out." Shima said, only to have Konekomaru pull at his sleeve.

"Even you?!"

The bespectacled boy nodded. "Moriyama-san's right. We're family now. We can't let him leave."

Izumo crossed her arms, looking away. "I don't care what you guys do. But, I'll help, only if it's necessary."

Shiemi stared at everyone happily, tears nearly forming in her eyes. "Thank you so much, everyone!"

Mephisto watched with bemused interest, hiding his smirk with his gloved hand. _Ah, what an interesting turn of events… still, it's not an outcome I haven't already predicted. _The Demon King of Space and Time clasped his hands together, chuckling loudly. "My lovely students are so passionate~! I'll keep Amaimon safe for the time being. It will be up to all of you to find Astaroth. I look forward to the events that will ultimately unfold. "

Yukio frowned, following behind everyone else to leave the principal's quarters. Something was still bothering him. Astaroth was a level below Amaimon yet had managed to curse him. It seemed nearly impossible for the King of Rot to do that on his own. Coupled with Mephisto's too eager cooperation, the brown-haired teen could only feel a sense of foreboding. When it came to Mephisto, everything was a game.

_Mephisto Pheles… just what are you planning? _He thought, closing the door softly behind him. Inside the office, the demon king smirked widely.

"Now, _dearest _brother, I think it is about time that you left Assiah—permanently."

* * *

A/N: A lot happened in this chap, so I hope it makes up for the wait, if at least a little bit ^^' I wanted to keep this story light and fluffy, but alas, my muse didn't agree with me XD As usual reviews are much obliged :3

Oh, and for the sake of the story, I will have Amaimon ranked as seventh in order of Gehenna princes, while Astaroth will be eighth. And not that it really matters, but Mephisto/Samael will be ranked second. I know there's a lot of confusion/speculation around just where each demon king sits in regards to level, but for this story I will have it as such. Also, it may seem like the story's coming to a close… but it's not XD I still have a few more plot twists up my sleeves, so stay tuned!

-Isis


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